Senior Editor

Robots have long been a staple in pop culture:
think housekeeper Rosie in The Jetsons, Star Wars' R2D2 and the
sniffle-inducing Wall-E. But a new exhibit at Discovery Center
Museum in Rockford proves our robot friends aren't just
entertaining, they're also educational.

Robots: The Interactive Exhibition features 15
displays that teach kids and families about the world of robotics.
Characters from the 2005 animated film "Robots," including
protagonist Rodney Copperbottom and his friends The Rusties, pop up
to add some personality,

The exhibit takes its "interactive" title
seriously. Walker says kids will especially enjoy the hands-on
aspects, including the chance to use a robotic probe to explore
underwater, in deep space or on the surface of Mars at Robot
Explorers; to program a Ford robotic arm like those used in car
manufacturing with Industrial Robots; or to complete the
construction of a robot at Build-a-Wonderbot.

Another highlight will be the Crosstown Express, a
fully interactive "tour" of a robot city that will make you feel
like you've landed in an amusement park ride, complete with moving
seats.

And keep an eye out for some of those pop culture
robot favorites, who make appearances throughout the exhibit.

But Walker is quick to point out that exhibit isn't
purely entertaining-it fulfills the museum's mission of combining
science with things kids find interesting.

"Right now, there's a push in our country to
promote STEM-Science, Technology, Engineering and Math," she says.
"This exhibit really does that."

She hopes visitors will go away from the museum
with a renewed interest in engineering and a curiosity to learn
more about what makes robots work.

And maybe someday, to the relief of moms
everywhere, one of those visitors to the temporary exhibit finally
will figure out how to make a housekeeping robot a reality.

Elizabeth Diffin

Robots have long been a staple in pop culture: think housekeeper
Rosie in The Jetsons, Star Wars' R2D2 and the sniffle-inducing
Wall-E. But a new exhibit at Discovery Center Museum in Rockford
proves our robot friends aren't just entertaining, they're also
educational.

Robots: The Interactive Exhibition features 15 displays that
teach kids and families about the world of robotics. Characters
from the 2005 animated film "Robots," including protagonist Rodney
Copperbottom and his friends The Rusties, pop up to add some
personality,

The exhibit takes its "interactive" title seriously. Walker says
kids will especially enjoy the hands-on aspects, including the
chance to use a robotic probe to explore underwater, in deep space
or on the surface of Mars at Robot Explorers; to program a Ford
robotic arm like those used in car manufacturing with Industrial
Robots; or to complete the construction of a robot at
Build-a-Wonderbot.

Another highlight will be the Crosstown Express, a fully
interactive "tour" of a robot city that will make you feel like
you've landed in an amusement park ride, complete with moving
seats.

And keep an eye out for some of those pop culture robot
favorites, who make appearances throughout the exhibit.

But Walker is quick to point out that exhibit isn't purely
entertaining-it fulfills the museum's mission of combining science
with things kids find interesting.

"Right now, there's a push in our country to promote
STEM-Science, Technology, Engineering and Math," she says. "This
exhibit really does that."

She hopes visitors will go away from the museum with a renewed
interest in engineering and a curiosity to learn more about what
makes robots work.

And maybe someday, to the relief of moms everywhere, one of
those visitors to the temporary exhibit finally will figure out how
to make a housekeeping robot a reality.